


Sleeping, Resting, Loving

by englishstrawbie



Category: Grey's Anatomy, Station 19 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Strong Female Characters, Tumblr Prompt, Women Being Awesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25068835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishstrawbie/pseuds/englishstrawbie
Summary: A selection of Maya & Carina one-shots and prompt fics.
Relationships: Maya Bishop & Carina DeLuca, Maya Bishop/Carina DeLuca
Comments: 93
Kudos: 445





	1. Victory

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from tumblr: I saw someone saying it would be awesome to see Carina wearing Maya’s gold medal and teasing her so if you’re looking for a prompt ;)

It’s just gone 10.00pm when they arrive back at the station after their third call of the day. Maya jumps out of the fire engine in a good mood, her face sooty and her ponytail hanging loose. It has been one of those shifts when everything is going right and everyone is working perfectly in sync with each other. It’s taken a while but she can finally say that they are a team again.

“Great job, guys!” she tells her friends as they drag their feet towards the locker room. “Get some rest.”

She hangs up her turnouts before making her way to her office, ready to crash out herself. Except there’s a visitor in her office that stops her in her tracks.

Carina lingers at her desk, her back to the door. Just the sight of her causes Maya’s heart to leap. She kicks herself for being so soft, but Carina has that effect on her.

“Hey,” she says softly.

Carina spins around at the sound of her voice. “Ciao bella!” she greets her cheerfully.

Maya takes a step into the office and closes the door.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, I finished work late and didn’t feel like going home to an empty house,” Carina says. “I thought you might like some company.”

Her eyes sparkle mischievously and Maya knows exactly what she is suggesting. She grins and locks the door, before sauntering over to where Carina waits for her. The height difference between them is greater thanks to Carina’s high heels, and Maya has to tip her head back to look up at her.

“I like the way you think,” Maya says, slipping her hands around Carina’s waist and pushing her hips forward to pin her against the desk.

Carina smiles as she lowers her head to capture her in a deep kiss, cradling Maya’s head in her hands. She feels Maya moan against her lips and it sends a ripple through her body. She can feel Maya battling with her blouse, pulling at the material until it’s free from her skirt and she can run her hands over her skin. The contact makes Carina gasp, their lips parting for a moment until Maya lifts herself onto the tips of her toes and wraps her hands around Carina’s neck, guiding her lips back towards her own.

Carina pushes forward and spins them around, so that Maya is the one pinned.

“I’m really glad you came by,” Maya murmurs, as her lips travel down Carina’s neck. She finds a sweet spot that makes Carina hum happily.

Maya is just about to start her descent when Carina suddenly pulls back.

“What is that?” she says curiously.

“Hmm?”

“Is that your gold medal?”

Maya looks over her shoulder at the medal that sits in a frame behind her desk. 

“Yeah,” she says, turning back and trying to coax Carina’s lips back towards hers.

“Can I see it?”

“What?”

“Your medal, can I see it?” Carina asks.

Maya rolls her eyes. “Now?”

Carina grins and walks around the desk, picking up the frame and studying the design. “It’s beautiful. It’s a Greek goddess, no?”

Maya nods. “Nike, the Greek goddess of victory,” she answers. She walks over to stand beside Carina, opening the frame and tipping it so that the medal falls into her hands. She runs her finger over the design, memories of that day flooding back into her mind.

“Can I wear it?”

“No!”

“Oh, come on!”

She reaches out to take it from Maya’s hands, but Maya is quicker and hides it behind her back. Carina pouts.

“Please?”

She looks at Maya with big, pleading eyes and Maya knows that she is powerless. She sighs.

“Okay.”

Carina dips her head so that Maya can loop it around her neck. She pulls out her dark hair from underneath the ribbon so that the gold metal sits against her chest.

“It’s heavy,” Carina notes. She smiles. “And sexy.”

Maya rolls her eyes again. “Shut up.”

“What? You didn’t feel sexy, stood up there with this medal around your neck and all those people cheering for you?” Carina teases.

“I’d just run 10,000 meters and was drenched in sweat, so no, I didn’t feel sexy,” Maya laughs.

She lowers her eyes to where the medal sits squarely on Carina’s chest. She unbuttons Carina’s blouse until it hangs open.

“It looks sexy on you though.”

Carina arches her eyebrows. “Really?”

“Uh huh,” Maya says, gripping the edge of Carina’s blouse to tug her closer. “Can we get back to the kissing part now?”

“Can I keep the medal on?”

Maya laughs again. “Sure.”

Carina grins and lowers her head for another kiss, their embrace becoming passionate quickly. Maya is the one to spin them around this time, walking her backwards across the office. She slides her hands over Carina’s waist and over her ass, taking her by surprise when she suddenly lifts her up. Carina lets out a small squeal of delight as she wraps her legs around Maya’s waist and hugs her with her thighs. She smiles through their kiss as Maya carries her to the Captain’s Bunk, the gold medal heavy as it hits her chest.

Dating an Olympian has its perks. 


	2. Bribery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from tumblr: Carina finding Maya’s picture in the firefighter magazine and teasing her or something.

Carina checks the time – just after one o’clock. She sighs impatiently. Maya promised she would stop by for lunch and Carina has checked the time on her phone four times already. It’s been days since they spent any time together, thanks to an influx of emergency deliveries and a five alarm fire that have kept them both busy at work over the last week. Okay, so they were going to be having dinner together this evening and Carina’s overnight bag is tucked underneath her desk, since she doesn’t expect to be going home tonight, but still… all she wants right now is an hour with her girlfriend.

Maya had sent a message over an hour ago to say that she was on her way and would be stopping at Carina’s favourite Italian café to grab some food. Carina had fired off her order and then used the free time to catch up on her charts, but her patience was wearing thin.

Her heart leaps when she hears the door open, only to be disappointed when she looks up to see Amelia wandering in uninvited. Her son is strapped to her front in a baby carrier, squished against her chest and a tiny frown on his face as he tries to focus on his surroundings. He gurgles happily. 

“Hey!” Amelia greets her. “So, Baby and I were just upstairs for a check up and we’re meeting Link for lunch shortly, so we thought we’d stop by to see our favourite OBGYN on the way.”

Carina smiles. She still can’t believe they registered their son’s name as ‘Baby’. “You know you’re going to have to give him a proper name soon.”

Amelia rolls her eyes. “We will, if Link and I ever agree on one.” She sinks into the seat on the opposite side of the desk. “So, how are things?”

“Things are good,” Carina says, leaning back in her chair. “You heard Bailey just gave me the green light for my gynaecological cancer research project?”

“No, I didn’t hear. That’s great!” Amelia says enthusiastically. She has been pushing Carina to ask Bailey for a research grant for months, always supporting her projects – especially after the last one saved her life. “But I hope you’re not working too hard.”

“No. In fact, Maya’s on her way here for lunch,” Carina says with a smile. Amelia has been one of her few confidants over the last couple of months during her break up and make up with Maya, and she has been grateful for her advice and support.

“Speaking of…” Amelia says. “Baby and I were very interested to read all about how she likes to hang out with old people during her spare time while we were waiting for our appointment earlier.”

Carina laughs. “She what?”

Amelia reaches into her bag and pulls out a magazine, tossing it onto the desk between them. “Page seventeen,” she says, just as her phone buzzes. She checks her message. “Link’s just got out of surgery. Lunch next week?”

Carina nods. “Sure. I’d love that.”

As Amelia leaves, Carina picks up the magazine, IAFF’s _Fire Fighter Quarterly Magazine_. She spots Maya’s name on the front.

_Meet Seattle’s first female Captain, Olympic gold medalist Maya Bishop!_

She flicks to page 17 and, sure enough, there’s Maya’s face looking up at her. She is sat behind her desk, her hands clasped and resting in front of her, and the smile on her face strained, as if she doesn’t want to be there.

Carina skims the page. It’s a question and answer article, the usual stuff: her background, her Olympic glory, what made her become a firefighter, what she does to keep fit, her ascent up the chain of command. All things that Carina already knows.

She gets to the question that caused Amelia’s amusement. 

_Interviewer: How do you spend your free time outside of the fire station?_

_Bishop: I just started volunteering with ElderFriends, a local charity here in Seattle that provides care and companionship for the elderly in our community._

Carina chuckles. She can picture Maya’s discomfort as the lie rolls off her tongue.

“What’s so funny?” a familiar voice interrupts her. She looks up just as Maya steps into the room, juggling two coffees and a takeout bag in her hands.

“You,” Carina says, standing up and grabbing the coffees from Maya’s hands before they end up splattered across her floor, and placing them on her desk.

Maya frowns. “Me?”

Carina nods, before placing a kiss on Maya’s cheek and perching on the edge of her desk. “I was just wondering when you were going to tell me about you volunteering with ElderFriends when you’re not on shift.”

Maya’s face falls as she realises what Carina is talking about. “Oh God,” she mutters, her cheeks blushing.

“I wish I’d known, I would have made sure your new friends were on the invitation list for your birthday celebrations,” Carina teases her.

“I panicked!” Maya cries. “I could hardly tell them that all I do when I’m not at work is make out with my hot girlfriend.”

“You think I’m hot?” Carina says with a grin.

Maya’s cheeks burn a deeper shade of red. “Promise me you won’t share it with anyone else?” she begs. “I’ve already thrown the station copy in the trash.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Carina says, her eyes twinkling. “Don’t you think your team are going to want to read it?”

“Please!” Maya begs. “I’ll never live it down.”

She spies the magazine lying on the desk and she reaches out for it, but Carina snatches it away.

“Oh, no no no,” she says. “I’m going to need to keep this. You know, just in case.”

“In case of what?” Maya asks indignantly.

“In case I ever need to bribe you for a favor,” Carina says.

She opens the cupboard door behind her to hide the magazine away for safekeeping, and Maya immediately spots the fundraiser calendar hanging from a hook, open on her picture.

“Why do you have that here, I thought you took it home?” 

“I did,” Carina says. “I got Vic to sell me another one for the office.”

Maya groans. “I hate that photo!”

“I like it!” Carina says, laughing. “It’s sexy.”

“No, it’s not,” Maya says, her tone a little exasperated. “Besides, you’re a month out, it’s July."

Carina shrugs. “Travis is cute and all, but he’s not as cute as you.”

Maya narrows her eyes, but they sparkle happily. “You’re lucky you’re pretty.”

Carina grins. “Come on, let’s eat,” she says, picking up the two coffee cups and walking over to the sofa on the other side of the room.

Maya goes to follow her, but stops suddenly as she remembers Carina’s words from moments ago.

“Wait… what birthday celebrations?”


	3. Teasing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from broken_fangirl15: Maya teasing Carina about her messy English

The first time it happened, they were at dinner at a small Moroccan restaurant on the east side of the city. It was only their third official date – although there had been several unofficial dates in between. Carina was lamenting about a run-in she’d had with Owen over a trauma patient earlier that day. It had obviously irritated her, as she had been on edge all evening. Every few words, she would fall into her native Italian language. Maya had already learned to recognise the curse words and she was grateful at least that Carina chose to swear in Italian, given how small the restaurant was.

“So then he told me that he was taking the patient to surgery without even letting me do an ultrasound!” Carina exclaimed. 

Maya nodded sympathetically, only vaguely following the story.

“So I told him, I wasn’t going to accept that in the bed!”

Maya had just taken a sip of wine and felt the liquid hit the back of her throat when she jolted upright. “You said _what?_ ”

She knew Carina had hooked up with Owen in the past and, okay, they hadn’t defined their relationship as exclusive but she hadn’t expected Carina to drop that bombshell so casually over dinner.

“I’m not a pullover,” Carina said.

She frowned as Maya simply stared at her.

“…ah, pushover.”

Maya listened as Carina corrected herself and felt relief wash over her as she realised what Carina was trying to say.

“You mean, you weren’t going to take it lying down?”

“Si!” Carina said. “That’s the same thing, no?”

Maya shook her head in exasperation, yet somehow couldn’t be mad. She smiled as Carina continued her story, oblivious to what she had just said. Maya could already tell that this woman was going to make life interesting.

* * * * *

The next time it happened, they were lying in bed. Maya had been happy to find a text message from Carina waiting for her at the end of her shift, inviting her to breakfast at her townhouse. Breakfast had been forgotten in favour of more intimate activities and now, here they were, still hungry and curled up in bed together. Carina’s head was rested on her chest, her limbs wrapped around Maya, keeping her warm in the cool morning air as they debated their movie choice for the day.

“The Avengers?”

Carina screwed up her nose. “Pretty Woman?”

“Eh,” Maya said unenthusiastically. “Bourne Identity?”

“Bridget Jones’ Diary?”

“John Wick?”

Carina rolled her eyes. “You always want to watch the action movies,” she grumbled. “Titanic?”

“And you always want the soppy, romantic movies,” Maya said with a gentle nudge. “Okay, how about a compromise – Mr & Mrs Smith?”

Carina smiled. “Hmm. That’s right down my aisle.”

“Excuse me?” Maya said, her eyes wide. 

Carina looked up at her. “It’s a good choice, no?”

It took a moment before Maya realised what Carina meant to say. “Oh. You mean it’s right up your street.”

Carina gave a small shrug as her stomach rumbled with hunger. “There are still pastries in the kitchen,” she murmured. “We should get up.”

“In a minute,” Maya said, instead choosing to sink deeper into the mattress.

* * * * *

“You invited her our date night?”

They were stood in the kitchen, out of earshot of Vic who was curled up under a blanket on Maya’s sofa looking despondent.

Maya shrugged her shoulders. “I didn’t invite her, she asked if she could come over,” Maya said. “And I couldn’t say no, just look at her.” She looked over her shoulder at the sad figure. Carina followed her gaze. “She’s been moping ever since Dean asked her to move out. 

Carina grunted. “Does she have to mope here?”

“Carina!” Maya scolded her. “She’s my friend.”

“Just because she’s out with the garbage, doesn’t mean you invite her over on date night,” Carina huffed.

“Out with the…?” Maya said. “Down in the dumps?”

Carina rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Can’t we just have an early night and go to bed?” She slipped her hand around Maya’s waist and pulled her closer, leaving a kiss on her neck.

Maya sighed. “We can’t.”

“I could pretend to be sick,” Carina suggested. “Maybe I’m coming down with a migraine.”

She sank her teeth lightly into Maya’s skin, causing Maya to let out small moan.

“Uh, guys, is there any more wine?” Vic called out from the sofa.

Carina let out a low, disgruntled growl.

“Be nice,” Maya said. “And I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

Bribery worked. Carina flashed her best smile and picked up a bottle of wine. “You’d better.”

* * * * *

The rain and thunderstorms had ruined their plans for a picnic in the park, which is why they were settled on cushions on the floor of Maya’s apartment, an array of board games beside them. They had started with Scrabble, moved on to Checkers, and had just finished a game of Clue. Much to Maya’s frustration, Carina had won all three games.

“I don’t get it, I always win Clue!” Maya moaned.

Carina smiled triumphantly. “That’s just the way the biscuit breaks!”

“The cookie crumbles,” Maya said. Despite her competitive nature coming through, there was a playful glint in her eyes.

Carina reached over and gave her a gentle tap on the knee. “I’ll let you win the next one,” she teased.

“No, you won’t!” Maya said. “I’ll win because I deserved it.”

She twisted her lips as she looked through the pile of games. “How about Monopoly?”

Carina screwed up her nose. “Too long. And boring.”

“Operation?”

“Too much like work,” Carina said. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, looking around. The room was lit with lamps and candles, giving it a romantic feel, and suddenly she had no desire for board games any more. “How about we stop playing games.”

Maya tossed the Operation box to one side. “What do you want to do instead?” she asked.

Carina grinned and pushed herself onto her knees, shuffling forwards.

“You.”

* * * * *

It was supposed to be a quick stop at the hardware store on the way to the movies, except the store clerk that served them was barely out of high school and a condescending little shit who thought he knew better than Carina did just because he was a man.

“Carina,” Maya hissed. “Don’t.”

“No, this is important,” Carina said.

Maya’s cheeks flushed red as Carina called over the manager, her face pinched with anger.

“I’m going to give him a slice of my head.”

“A piece of your mind,” Maya corrected her, immediately regretting it when Carina glared at her.

Maya sighed. So much for the movie.

“I’m going to wait in the car.”

* * * * *

Maya flung open the door, smiling widely. “Hey stranger!”

“Ciao bella!” Carina said, taking a step inside and immediately pulling Maya into a kiss.

It had been two weeks since they had last seen each other; two weeks since Carina had received a phone call from home to tell her that her Papa was sick and needed her. She had jumped on an airplane immediately, nervous about what she would find when she got to Italy and fearful about how long she would be away. It had been months last time and she hated the idea of being away from Maya for so long. Fortunately, her father’s illness was not serious and, once she had persuaded him to see a doctor, he had made a swift recovery. As much as she loved being back in her native country, she had left him as soon as he was better, desperate to get home.

“I missed you.”

Maya smiled. “I missed you, too.” She slid her hands around Carina’s waist, kicking the door closed and walking them into the apartment until she could push Carina up against the back of the sofa.

“Never go away again.”

Carina smiled. “Well, they do say that distance makes the heart get bigger,” Carina said softly.

Maya laughed, causing Carina’s brow to furrow.

“I got it wrong again, didn’t I?”

“Yes,” Maya said, inching closer for another kiss. “But I like your version better.”


	4. Kinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from KP: Carina has a thing about Maya's dress uniform.

Maya slips her finger underneath her starched collar and pulls it away from her neck with a grimace. Her tie is tight around her neck and she loosens it a little, as much as she can without falling short of regulations. Her jacket fits a little tighter than the last time she wore it. She blames Carina for that, she is always insisting on indulging in dessert after dinner – tiramisu, panna cotta, biscotti, gelato. Whatever her sweet tooth is in the mood for.

Still, Maya straightens her shoulders and nods, satisfied with the reflection in the mirror. It’s the best she’s going to get in her dress uniform. If anything, the snug jacket accentuates her curves.

She runs her hand over the two stripes on her sleeve. It is the first time that she has worn her uniform since she was promoted to Captain and she feels proud. She is grateful that the reason is a happy occasion, a presentation ceremony to the B team after a heroic save of a family of four in a dangerous house fire two weeks ago.

She hears the front door open and close, and the soft clip of heels along the hallway. Carina has had a key to her apartment for almost a month now and it still makes Maya’s heart flutter every time she uses it. She turns her head towards the door just as Carina appears.

“Hey,” Maya greets her warmly. “I’m just about to head out.”

Carina leans against the door frame, her eyes running unceremoniously up and down Maya’s body.

“Bellissima!” Carina says with a smile.

Maya rolls her eyes. “In this? I don’t think so.”

“Please, you look so hot,” Carina says, stepping into the room.

Maya shakes her head and laughs. “The ceremony will only be a couple of hours if you want to hang out here? I can sneak away afterwards, should be home by five.”

Carina sidles up to her and slips her hands around Maya’s waist, resting her chin on Maya’s shoulder. “Will you still be in uniform?” She presses her lips against Maya’s neck.

“Definitely not, this thing so uncomfortable.”

“Please? You look so hot, so strong, so sexy,” Carina purrs. “Like Demi Moore in A Few Good Men.”

Maya sighs happily as Carina’s lips continue to assault her neck. “Oh really?”

“Uh huh. Also, Meg Ryan in Courage Under Fire.”

Maya raises her eyebrows and spins in Carina’s arms. “Oh, so this is a thing for you, huh? Women in uniform?”

Carina grins. “A little,” she confesses.

Maya laughs. “Well that’s good to know. Except I don’t think me in this uniform compares to Demi Moore.”

“Hmm, I don’t know about that,” Carina says, running her hands over Maya’s ass and pulling her closer. She drops her head and captures Maya in a kiss, sinking her teeth into her lower lip. Her hands move to the front of Maya’s hips and she starts to unbuckle her belt.

“I’ve gotta go,” Maya whimpers. She knows she should pull away, but there’s something incredibly sexy about how turned on her girlfriend is right now.

She hears her phone buzz and wriggles backwards out of Carina’s grasp.

“Later,” she says, buckling her belt and straightening her jacket.

Carina pouts. “Promise?”

Maya smiles as she leaves a soft kiss on her cheek. “I’ll even wear my cap.”


	5. Mix ups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from tumblr: a fic about them being still broken up and Maya seeing Carina with someone from Seattle Grace and thinking she is with them and the other way around till they find each other.
> 
> Prompt from paolapotter: Maya doesn’t know about Amelia and gets jealous when after the break up she keeps seeing them together.

It had been two weeks since Maya had made the biggest mistake of her life; two weeks since she had broken Carina’s heart and her own at the same time. In those two weeks, Carina had ignored every phone call and every text message, refusing to talk to her. This was how Maya found herself parked up outside Carina’s townhome, her fingers drumming nervously on the steering wheel as she tried to muster enough courage to walk up to the front door and ring the bell. She had almost done it several times, each time losing her nerve. She had so much to apologise for that she didn’t know where to start.

With a deep breath, she pulled the lever and opened the door. She had to do this.

With one foot lowered to the floor, a light suddenly caught her eye and she retreated back into the car. Carina’s door was open and she saw the tall Italian leaning against the doorframe. A shorter woman with cropped dark hair stepped out into the moonlight. Maya watched from a distance as they talked, obviously comfortable in each other’s company. The stranger said something and Carina laughed, her smile lighting up her face like it always did. She opened her arms and invited the other woman into a hug.

Maya felt her heart drop. She couldn’t bear to watch Carina embrace another woman so affectionately. She switched on the engine and drove off quickly before anyone knew she was there.

* * * * *

Amelia had turned up at Carina’s house, as promised, a pizza in one hand and beer in the other – non-alcoholic for herself, of course. It was, she insisted, just what Carina needed to mend a broken heart. That, and a shoulder to cry on.

Carina wasn’t so sure, she wasn’t used to opening up to anyone except her brother; but with Andrew still in a treatment facility for his bipolar, she was grateful that Amelia had reached out with the friendship she needed. The neurosurgeon had invited herself in and settled down on the couch, patting the seat next to her. Carina had sat down obediently, accepting a bottle of beer. It wasn’t her drink of choice, but she wanted to be polite.

After her second bottle, she felt herself relax, quickly finding that the anger and frustration she had been keeping inside came tumbling out. Amelia had listened without judgement or insincere platitudes, offered sympathy occasionally but without condescension.

By the end of the evening, Carina didn’t feel like her heart was mended but it felt lighter than it had in weeks. She had walked Amelia to the door, letting her change the topic of conversation and indulge in a silly story about the baby finding his own reflection in the mirror for the first time. Carina had laughed, letting it ripple through her body.

As Amelia turned to leave, she heard a car engine come to life across the road. Her eyes drifted to where the sound had come from and noticed a familiar Prius pull away. Carina shook her head, pushing the thought out of her mind.

* * * * *

Maya had avoided Grey Sloan since their break-up… until now. The victim, an eight-year-old girl they had rescued from a barn fire, had clung to her desperately and there was something about the way she had looked at her that had made Maya promise to stay by her side until they got to the hospital. She had held her hand all the way into the ER, until Doctor Hunt had assured her that they had it under control and would reunite the young girl with her parents as soon as possible.

Maya’s eyes had scanned the pit as she had made her way back outside, hoping for a glimpse of her ex-girlfriend whilst, at the same time, desperate to avoid her and the inevitable painful awkwardness that would follow if she saw her. It didn’t matter, there was no sign of her.

Finch was waiting for her outside. He was covering for Andy, who was on a period of extended leave after everything that had happened with Pruitt, the return of her mother, and Sullivan’s fall back into drug addiction. She was grateful that the fire station was only three blocks away, meaning that there was little time to have to make small talk before she could get away from his buffoonish conversation.

She spotted Carina immediately across the yard, sat on a bench side-by-side with the same brunette who had emerged from her house late at night last week. They were talking animatedly, Carina’s face smiling brightly at the other woman, her hands gesturing enthusiastically. 

It was clear to Maya that Carina had had no problem moving on so quickly. She was an idiot to think that Carina would pine after her for too long, she was smart and funny and beautiful, and any woman – or man – would be lucky to have her.

Finch called out to her and she smiled, a smile that was brighter than she was feeling but she didn’t want Finch, of all people, to know that she was broken-hearted. She kept her head down and walked away, making sure to avoid any eye-contact with the woman who still held her heart.

* * * * *

Andrew was coming home. Her sweet, baby brother had done the work and his doctors were happy that he was ready to be discharged. Carina had jumped for joy when she had heard the news, burying the fact that the first person who came to mind to tell was Maya, and instead looking for Amelia. The brain surgeon had been a good friend and confidant over the last few weeks, and Carina was glad she could finally share some happy news with her instead of bending her ear about the sorry state of her love life.

Amelia had just come out of a long surgery and had practically pushed the Italian out of the door, craving fresh air. They had settled on a bench in the courtyard and enjoyed the sun shine. Carina had been upbeat as she had told Amelia her news. Her cheeks ached from smiling so much, a rarity these days.

The only time her smile faltered was when she saw Maya coming out of the hospital doors. It took her by surprise to see her at the hospital. She didn’t ride on the Aid car now she was Captain, the only reason she used to visit was to see Carina, usually at the end of her 24 hour shift and just as Carina was starting her day. There would be deep kisses and fumbling hands and promises of what would come that evening when Carina got home. These were memories that Carina had pushed down inside of her, memories that no longer brought her joy, and memories that she did not wish to relive.

Maya didn’t see her, heading straight to the firefighter who was waiting for her. Carina didn’t recognise him. She saw the way Maya smiled at him and something stirred inside of her. Anger? Hurt? Disappointment? Maybe all three.

* * * * *

Vic had insisted she join them for a team night out at Joe’s on their night off. Maya wasn’t really in the mood, but Vic had refused to take no for an answer, practically dragging her from her apartment to the bar. They had taken over one corner of the room, occupying the pool table for most of the evening. It hadn’t taken long for someone to become competitive, a bet of $20 on who would win, Travis or Dean. Next was Jack against Vic, Andy versus Finch, then Maya took on Warren – and won.

Despite her reservations, Vic had been right – it had been a distraction from the broken heart she was still carrying around. Maya focussed on the game, potting one ball after the other, and it stopped her from thinking about her stupid mistake and the huge mess it had created.

Once Dean had hustled them all out of their money, they moved onto the dartboard. The drinks had been flowing all night and Maya was drunk. The good sort of drunk, where she allowed herself to let go and have fun. She ignored Andy when she tried to tell her that she’d had enough, ordering another round of shots and knocking back more than one. She ignored Travis when he suggested it was time to leave, wrestling Finch for the darts and getting pissed at being told no.

It was only when Vic pushed her towards the exit to get some fresh air that Maya noticed Carina at the bar, her usual companion in tow. They were sat close together at the bar, heads bowed together, deep in conversation. Maya’s good mood dissipated immediately as her eyes pricked with tears and she gave in, clinging to Vic’s hand and allowing herself to be taken outside. Finch followed them with Maya’s bag, the team agreeing that it was time she got in a cab and went home.

* * * * *

Amelia needed a night out, the chance to remind herself that she was a human being and not just a milk machine to her six month old son. Meredith had the kids at home and Maggie was out on a date with her new beau, so Carina had not been given much choice but to accompany her to Joe’s. She didn’t mind, she was bored of spending every evening staring at the four walls of her townhome. She knew it wouldn’t be a late one, Link had already warned her that Amelia would be desperate for her bed by 9.30pm, no matter how much she tried to deny it.

They fell into an easy conversation as they left the hospital and crossed the street. She followed Amelia down the stairs and into the bar, almost toppling over her when Amelia came to an abrupt stop as soon as she stepped inside. She spotted the team from Station 19 straight away, saw Maya chasing shots with a swig of beer, laughing and joking with her friends.

Amelia suggested they go somewhere else but Carina said no, they were here now. She tried to convince them both that she could enjoy herself, despite Maya’s presence. It was busy and they sta on stools at one end of the bar. It was noisy, not just because of the rowdy group in the corner, and Carina dipped her head closer to Amelia to be able to hear her.

Carina tried not to look, but couldn’t stop her eyes from drifting over to the corner of the room where Maya and her friends were gathered. She saw the same tall, handsome man that had been waiting for her outside the hospital. They seemed friendly and she watched as Maya flung her arms around his shoulders playfully, heard her laughing from across the bar.

She tried to focus on her conversation with Amelia. The next time she looked over, she saw Maya walking out the door, flanked by the tall, handsome man. Well, it was Wednesday, and she knew Maya liked to indulge in some self-care on Wednesdays.

* * * * *

The baseball stadium was packed full of doctors, paramedics and firefighters for the annual Seattle emergency services tournament. The air was filled with chatter and laughing, the beer flowing in between each game. The Grey-Sloan paramedics were the reigning champions and everyone was keen to beat them this year.

19 were 3-2 down to the team from Station 23, needing a win to take them through to the semi-final. They still had their best players left to bat: Finch, Travis and Maya. Finch went first, hitting a home run, equalising the score. Maya was up next and she accepted a high five from Finch with a wide smile as she stepped out of the dugout. She walked up to the plate with her usual confidence, swinging the bat back and forth as she flexed her muscles.

The first throw was a wild pitch and Maya shook her head with amusement as she heard the crowd roar behind her. The next pitch was fast and she stepped back, knowing it would be a wasted attempt. The umpire called a strike and the crowd cheered again. Maya’s eyes wandered and it was then that she saw Carina in the crowd. She would have thought she looked cute, with her baseball jersey and cap on; except all she could see was her ex-girlfriend with her head on the shoulder of the other woman, an arm wrapped around her shoulder. Maya felt her stomach flip. She looked back at the pitcher and waited for the next ball. She swung her bat and missed. The umpire called a second strike and Maya heard her team groan behind her. She tried to shake it off, except out of the corner of her eye she watched as Carina left her seat and followed her companion out of sight. The third ball came at her fast, she swung and missed once more. Strike three.

Maya dropped her bat and retreated, ignoring her team as they badgered her about her poor performance. Vic tried to talk to her but she all she did was shake her head.

Travis stepped up to the plate. First pitch, strike one. Maya could feel the team getting worked up, each of them competitive in nature and desperate to win. Second pitch, a home run and everyone around her jumped for joy, celebrating the win.

Maya followed them out of the dugout but instead of running on to the pitch, she slipped out the exit. It didn’t take her long to find Carina near the food stands, her companion to one side, both laughing. With a deep breath, Maya approached her.

“Carina.”

* * * * *

Carina didn’t care for baseball. It had been at Andrew’s insistence that she attend, even if she refused to swing bat, to cheer on the Grey-Sloan doctors’ team. With a bit of cajoling from Amelia and Jo, she had finally relented. It was fun, she would admit. There was a team spirit and comradery, not only amongst her immediate colleagues, but across all the teams.

She had spotted Ben earlier on in the day, sporting a Station 19 team shirt, which meant that Maya was around. She had successfully avoided her until the quarter final, where Station 19 was playing Station 23. Whoever won would go on to play the Grey-Sloan team, so there was no getting out of watching it. She was sat on the second row of the bleachers between Amelia and Jo. Bailey was sat in front of them, trying to stay neutral but failing when Ben was up for batting and she hollered proudly when he hit the ball far.

The same firefighter that Carina had seen at the hospital and the bar stepped onto the pitch and got a home run on his first swing. The crowd around her cheered, but Carina didn’t feel much like celebrating, especially when she noticed the way Maya smiled at him, their palms connecting in a high five. She let out a heavy sigh that garnered Amelia’s sympathy. She tried to pretend otherwise but when Amelia put her arm around her shoulder and squeezed it, she couldn’t help but lean in and rest her head on Amelia’s shoulder, grateful for the comfort.

It was Amelia’s suggestion to go and grab a hotdog from outside. Carina had agreed and they had left as Maya was just about to take her second swing. They made their way to the food stands and stood in line, Amelia regaling her with a story about the baby’s traumatic reaction to seeing his own reflection in the mirror, which made her laugh.

Her good mood faded when she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

“Carina.”

* * * * *

Carina turned to find Maya stood behind her. Her eyes narrowed and she frowned.

“What do you want?” she huffed.

“To talk,” Maya said. “To make things right.”

Carina stared at her curiously.

“Why?”

Maya shook her head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“What’s the point, when you’ve so obviously moved on?”

“Moved on?”

Carina rolled her eyes at Maya’s dumb response. “The tall guy? Broad shoulders, blonde hair?”

Maya mouth fell open. “Finch? You think I’ve moved on with _Finch_? Ugh.” She looked offended. “Anyway, what about you!”

“Me?”

Maya looked at Amelia and back again, the insinuation clear.

“Oh! Woah! No!” Amelia said, waving her hands in denial. “I mean, I’m flattered. Really, who wouldn’t be? And okay, there was that one time I ask her for a three…”

“AMELIA!” Carina cried.

“Right. Stop talking. Sorry,” Amelia said, her cheeks flushed pink. “I’m gonna leave you two to talk.”

She took a few steps, then paused and turned back to face them.

“You know, it’s pretty clear that you’re both jealous of the idea that the other’s moving on,” she said. “People only get jealous when they care. And finding someone you care about that much? Isn’t something you should walk away from too quickly.”

She smiled kindly before turning on her heel and leaving them alone.

Carina looked across at Maya, who was looking embarrassed.

“You really thought I’d moved on with Amelia?” Carina said, a small smile crossing her face.

“You really thought I’d move on with _Finch_?” Maya retorted. She sighed. “Look, I know I screwed up and I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. And I know that it’s going to take a lot more than an apology to make things right.”

Carina didn’t say anything, but she nodded in agreement.

“But I’d like to try. Because she’s right, I do still care about you. A lot. More than a lot. More than anyone, ever, in my life.” Maya exhaled a shaky breath.

Carina studied her carefully. She felt her resolve weakening. The hurt and anger were still there, and would be for some time, but Amelia’s words played on her mind and Maya’s heartfelt apology tugged at her heart.

Carina’s silence made Maya nervous. The truth was, as much as she knew how badly she had hurt her, Maya had no idea what to do to earn her forgiveness. It was the first time she had been in a relationship that really meant something and the first time she had felt such desperation at its loss.

From inside, a call went out for the teams from Station 19 and Grey Sloan for the quarter final.

“I guess that’s us,” Maya said. She straightened her shoulders and tried to keep her composure as she started to walk back inside.

“Maya,” Carina called after her.

Maya stopped and turned to look at her.

“How about lunch at the weekend?” Carina suggested. “We can talk.”

Maya smiled, feeling optimistic. “I’d like that.”

Carina shared her smile. “But not before we hit your butt at baseball.”

“Kick our ass,” Maya corrected her with a laugh.

Carina shrugged and strode past her, a cocky smile on her face.

“Get ready to lose, Bishop.”


	6. Broken Bones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from tumblr: Maya wakes up in the hospital after almost sacrificed her life for Carina (she saved her from a fire) and Carina is super relieved but also mad because she put herself in danger and starts cursing her in Italian and Maya doesn't understand a word but she is so happy to see that her girlfriend is safe.

_She can barely see as she walks the halls of the hospital, frantically searching each corridor and each room. It’s getting harder to breath, but she isn’t sure if it’s the smoke she’s inhaling or the sheer desperation that sits heavily on her chest. She ignores the calls of her team from behind her, isn’t interested in protocols and rules right now. The only thing she cares about is finding Carina and getting her out of the fire._

_She calls her name over and over again, straining her ears as she listens for a reply that never comes. There’s a bitter taste in her mouth, bile rising up from her stomach as panic sets in. The fire has been raging for almost four hours now, three alarms so far and soon to be four. Almost everyone has been accounted for._

_*Almost* everyone._

_She makes her way to the stairwell, hoping, praying – even though she hasn’t been to church in almost ten years – that she would find Carina safely tucked away from the flames._

_She doesn’t notice the blisters starting to form on the floor below her or feel the heat rising from underneath. She doesn’t hear Dean’s warning to be careful as she steps over a fallen light fixture. Her foot lands on something soft and spongey, and the moment she realises that the floor is about to give way, she knows there is nothing she can do to stop herself from falling._

>>>>>

Maya feels her feet first, a tingling sensation that starts in her toes and works its way along the sole of her foot to her heel, and then a sharp pain in her right ankle. It shoots up her leg and her calf goes into spasm. She stiffens as the pain radiates through her body, across her hips and up her spine to the base of her neck. Her fists clench instinctively, but all it does is cause more pain, through her wrists and up her arms. She hears herself cry out although to the others in the room it is just a small whimper.

Maya panics and her chest tightens. She gasps for breath, desperate for air to fill her lungs. She tries to open her eyes: five things you can see, that’s what Carina had taught her. Except just a flicker of light from the room is too bright and she winces, closing her eyes again as pain pulsates in her head.

She tries instead to focus on her breathing, tries to steady her breath in and out, her chest burning with each inhale. She feels a warm hand on her cheek and hears an indecipherable voice telling her it’s going to be okay. Someone orders the lights to be dimmed.

“Open your eyes, Maya.”

She shakes her head – barely.

“It’s okay. Open your eyes and look at me.”

She tries to comply but even her eyelids feel heavy. A small whine escapes from throat.

“Come on, Maya, please. Open your eyes, bella.”

_Bella._

There’s only one person who calls her _bella_.

Maya opens her eyes slowly and blinks a few times as her eyes try to focus. Her vision is blurry but she immediately recognises the woman leaning over her.

_Carina._

Maya’s body floods with relief at the sight of her girlfriend. There’s a band aid just above Carina’s eyebrow and a small cut on her lower lip, but she’s alive and here with her, and that feeling of dread that Maya had been carrying in the pit of her stomach immediate dissipates. She feels her eyes fill with tears and tries to lift her hand, craving more physical contact, but she can’t, and it’s then that she realises that her arm is encased in plaster. She’s pretty sure her body is broken in more ways than her mind can currently count and there isn’t a part of her that doesn’t hurt, but seeing Carina and knowing she is safe is enough to ease the pain just a little.

Maya opens her mouth, wants to tell Carina how happy she is to see her, but her brain is fuzzy and slow, and the words don’t come. Carina doesn’t let the silence linger for long, talking quickly – too quickly for Maya to keep up. It takes a moment for her to realise that the reason she doesn’t understand what Carina is saying is because she is speaking in Italian – and not in her usual soft, husky tones when she’s trying to seduce her into bed.

She’s mad – and not just the kind of mad she gets when Maya uses the last of her favourite shampoo. She is mad in an angry and upset kind of way. There’s a wrinkle in her forehead, her are lips pinched, and her eyes are glossy with tears as she rants. Maya still hasn’t studied the Italian phrases book she bought months ago, so she only catches the odd word that sounds close to English.

_Idiota. Stupida. Impossibile._

Okay, Carina is really _really_ mad. Maya tries to speak but her mouth is dry and her throat feels sore, and nothing comes out except another whimper.

“No, don’t talk, just listen,” Carina commands. “Don’t you ever, _ever_ , do this to me again, do you hear me? You don’t get to risk your life for me. You don’t get to break the rules and put yourself in danger for me. _Ever_. You promise me that you will never do this again.”

Maya wants to object, but Carina cuts her off before she can speak.

“Promise me.” It’s not a question, but an order.

Maya gives a slight nod of her head, but it’s a lie. She would walk into a burning building to save Carina every time.

Carina’s face softens and relief floods her face. “Ti amo,” she says, dropping a gentle kiss on Maya’s cheek.

Maya understands that. “I love you, too,” she says, her voice quiet and raspy. Maya closes her eyes as Carina drops her head to hers, rests her forehead on Maya’s and runs her hand through her hair.

_‘It was worth it,’_ Maya thinks to herself in that moment. Every fractured bone, every cut, every bruise was worth it, because her broken body will heal but her broken heart never would.


	7. Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt from tumblr: Carina joins the station for dinner.

The station 19 team jump out of the engine lacking their usual bounce and energy. They are all exhausted. It has been one of those shifts where they have barely sat still, every rest break interrupted by yet another call - a house fire where (thankfully) they arrived just in time to get everyone out the house before the ceiling collapsed; a warehouse fire caused by an ignorant smoker; and a gas leak at an abandoned building to name a few. Their most recent emergency had been called in as a kitchen fire but had turned out to be a tired and disgruntled gentleman who was constantly disturbed by a bird stuck in his chimney breast. 

It is almost 9pm and, with lunch interrupted earlier, everyone is tired, hungry and pissed off. Vic and Jack are on dinner duty, and spent the entire journey back to the station squabbling about what to cook. Maya was tempted at one point to instruct Miller to pull over and throw them out onto the sidewalk, hoping that the cold night air and fifteen minute walk would clear the air and give them all a bit of peace. 

She knows it is her responsibility as captain to rally the team, but she is just as exhausted as everyone else. She is also a little annoyed that she hasn’t heard from Carina all day. She left her a long voicemail earlier lamenting her crappy day and has been checking her phone ever since for a reply that so far hasn’t come. 

They pull into the station and Maya steps out of the fire engine, immediately bumping into Jack. 

“Hey!” she chides him grumpily. 

“Do you smell that?” He has his nose up in the air like a puppy. 

Maya pauses and sniffs the air. It is rich with the smell of tomato and herbs - oregano perhaps. It smells like… home. Like Friday nights when she props herself up on a stool with a glass of wine as Carina makes dinner. It is Carina’s way of unwinding after a long week at work and Maya has grown to love the simple domesticity of the moment. 

Maya frowns, convinced her mind is playing tricks on her. The only reason the station would smell like Carina’s home-cooking was if… but she couldn’t be, could she? 

“Oh my god, what is that smell?” Vic asks, as Travis mimics Jack by lifting his head and inhaling. 

“It’s smells like heaven,” Dean says. 

He is the first one to climb the stairs, with everyone close behind him. The team piles into the beanery where, sure enough, Carina stands over a large pot, humming along with the radio that plays in the background. 

“Buonasera!” she greets them. 

They swarm around the island, each one vying for a taste of whatever is in the pan. Maya walks up to Carina’s side and slips her hand around her waist, accepting a kiss on her cheek. 

“Uh hi,” Maya says. “What are you doing here?” 

“I got your message and figured you all needed a pick me up,” Carina says. She holds out her spoon, offering one lucky recipient a taste of her bolognese. “Anyone want to try it?”

Six hands shoot up in the air, causing Carina to laugh. Travis is the closest and he gladly accepts the spoon from her, murmuring in delight at the taste. 

“I think you might be my favourite person in the whole world,” he gushes, wincing when Vic punches him playfully in the arm with an affronted glare. 

Carina simply grins. “There’s a lasagna in the freezer for another day too.”

Dean and Vic high five each other in delight. Carina’s homemade lasagna is a favourite at the station and the team are forever begging Maya to bring in any leftovers from home. 

“If I wasn’t already married, I might just propose,” says Ben – this time eliciting a glare from Maya. 

“Back off, dad,” she teases him.

Ben pokes his tongue out in pretend annoyance. Maya gives them orders to prepare the table for dinner and she smiles as she watches them goad each other playfully, a merriment amongst them at the thought of a home cooked dinner that none of them have to make. 

She turns her attention back to Carina. 

“You didn’t have to do this, you know,” Maya says. “But I’m really happy to see you.”

Carina drops the stirring spoon on to the island and spins to look at her girlfriend properly. She looks tired and stressed, a faint frown line adorning her forehead. 

“It sounds like a tough shift,” she says sympathetically. 

“Yeah. But it’s better now your here,” Maya says quietly, out of ear shot of the team. 

Carina smiles as she opens her arms, encompassing Maya into a hug. Maya buries her face into Carina’s neck and breathes slowly, taking in her scent. It makes her feel woozy and she isn’t sure if it’s the perfume or just the way her body relaxes so easily under Carina’s touch. 

She pulls back slightly to get some air and looks up at Carina. 

“Can I see you tomorrow for breakfast?” 

Whenever they can, they meet at a coffee shop between the hospital and the fire station just after Maya’s shift ends and Carina’s begins. They have no more than thirty minutes together before Carina has to leave for work but sometimes it’s the best part of Maya’s day. 

“I would like that,” Carina says. She runs her fingers gently through Maya’s hair and dips her head to place a soft kiss on Maya’s lips. 

Across the room, someone wolf-whistles and there’s a chorus of giggles. 

“You know I assign chores, right?” Maya says, shooting her team a menacing look. “You’re all vying for toilet duty right now.”

None of them take her threat seriously and Maya finds she doesn’t care. 

Carina passes her the spoon. “Here, you stir while I drain the pasta.”

Maya complies. “This really does smell amazing.” 

“Grazie.”

“So how was your day?” Maya asks as she stirs. 

Carina’s face lights up. “My day was good. One of my IVF patients had her babies. Triplets! All healthy.” 

Maya loves Carina’s enthusiasm for her job, it’s infectious. Maya enjoys her job and strives to be good at it, but she doesn’t have the passion that Carina has.

“Did you talk to Doctor Bailey about your new research project?”

Carina had been talking non-stop about an idea for a new research project into the causes of perinatal asphyxia, wanting to find ways to reduce the risk. 

“No, she was busy all day,” Carina says dismissively. “Maybe tomorrow.” 

Maya raises her eyebrows. 

“What?”

“She’ll say yes. It’s a great idea,” Maya says encouragingly.

Carina hums disbelievingly. 

“It’s true, I heard Amelia tell you the same thing. So if you don’t believe me, you should at least believe her,” Maya says. 

Carina smiles. “Thank you, bella.” 

She places another kiss on Maya’s cheek, before turning her attention back to the team. 

“Dinner’s ready!” 

Everyone flocks to the island and grabs a plate of pasta and bolognese, giving their thanks to the chef as they tuck in hungrily. 

“You know, if you ever get bored of being a doctor, you could always become a chef,” Andy comments. “This is amazing.”

Carina laughs. “Thank you. But I don’t think my cooking is that good.”

There is a murmur of disagreement around the table. 

“Okay, but you could always come and cook for us,” Andy says. “I’m pretty sure the captain could be persuaded to give you a job!”

She grins cheekily at Maya. 

“Plus, having you around always puts Maya in a good mood,” Jack says. 

Maya shoots him a look, but she can’t disagree with him. Even she recognises the difference in herself when she is around Carina. Andy sends her a knowing look. She has never seen Maya so happy and content as she is these days, and she is constantly telling her not to screw it up. 

“Seen anything crazy at work lately?” Vic asks. She loves Carina’s stories from work, especially the weird ones. 

“Hmm, last week I saw a man and woman who had glued themselves together,” Carina answers casually. Nothing ever seems to faze her, no matter how bizarre. 

Everyone around the tables gapes at her. 

“Glued as in…” Ben questions. 

Carina nods. “Yep. The husband had been fixing some shelves and had left the superglue next to the bed. They were having sex, he reached for the lubrication and…”

She gives a shrug of her shoulders as they figure out the rest. 

“Oh my god,” Ben and Travis say in unison, while the others squirm in their seats. 

“You have the coolest job,” Vic says wistfully. 

The rest of the dinner is cheerful and light-hearted, the frustrations of earlier shaken off. Dean and Jack take charge of tidying up (although really they’re using it as an excuse to tuck into a second portion while backs are turned) as Maya orders everyone else to their bunks to rest. 

“Thank you for doing this,” Maya says as she walks Carina to the front door. “You cheered everyone up.”

“Including you?”

Maya smiles. “Especially me.” 

The pause outside Maya’s office. Maya runs her hands over Carina’s jacket, tugging at the zipper. 

“Stay?”

“You need sleep too, Maya,” Carina says. She knows Maya works too hard, knows she doesn’t rest as much as she should when she’s on shift. 

“You know, I’d rest a lot better if you stayed,” Maya says with a teasing smile. 

She leans onto the balls of her feet, lifting herself to meet Carina’s lips in a kiss, gentle at first and slowly becoming more urgent. Maya pulls Carina’s hips closer, encouraging her towards the office bunk. Carina smiles through the kiss, knowing exactly what she is trying to do, and extracts herself from Maya’s strong arms. 

“Sleep Maya,” she instructs. “I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast.”

Maya pouts. “Fine. But you’re buying.” 

Carina laughs and leaves her with another soft kiss. Maya leans against the door to her office and watches her go. She runs her tongue over the lingering taste of Carina on her lips. The station has fallen quiet and Maya finally feels at peace after such an arduous day, knowing that rest will come easier tonight with the promise of a breakfast date with Carina in the morning. 


	8. Happy Birthday Maya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had a couple of prompts on tumblr and here on AO3 for a birthday fic, including this one: a fic where it's either Maya or Carina's birthday and things don't go as plan.

“She’s going to like it, right?” Carina says.

Her usually calm face is twisted and her forehead crinkled with concern as she looks around the room.

“She’ll love it,” Vic says, swiping a chip from the bowl in Carina’s hands.

“It’s not too much?”

Vic looks around the room and takes in the decorations – the helium-filled balloons that cover most of the ceiling, the streamers thrown carelessly over the furniture, and the giant ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY’ banner pinned to the wall. Maya doesn’t like mess, or surprises, so Vic is pretty sure that she’s going to hate it – but she doesn’t have the heart to shatter Carina’s dreams.

“Maya… loves you, and so she’s gonna love it,” Vic says.

Well, it wasn’t a lie. If anyone could get away with throwing Maya a surprise birthday party, it was Carina.

“So, are we gonna hide and jump out when she gets here?” Andrew asks from his seat at the table, where Carina has him putting together paper chains for decoration.

“Si, I thought…”

“No!” Vic and Andy interrupt in unison.

Carina’s eyes widen in surprise.

“I mean, that’s such a cliché. I think Maya will be surprised enough when she walks through the front door,” Andy says. She is pretty sure that it’s one thing Maya would never forgive. She looks pointedly at Vic. “Right?”

“Right!” Vic says with her brightest smile.

“What time is the guest of honour coming back from her mom’s anyway?” Andy asks, changing the subject quickly.

“She sent me a text about five minutes ago to say she was just leaving, so I guess twenty minutes?” Carina says.

“No chance,” Jack says, as he and Dean enter the apartment, their arms laden with boxes of beer. “There’s a pile-up on the freeway, traffic’s jammed up. We were lucky to be able to get off and come the back route. If she’s stuck in it, she’ll be at least an hour, maybe more.”

Carina groans. “Great,” she says despondently. “We can’t have a birthday party without the birthday girl!”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jack says, grabbing a bottle of beer and finding a spare seat on the sofa. “She’ll get here eventually. And in the meantime, the game’s on.”

“Padres?” Dean asks, following Jack’s lead and dropping into an empty chair.

“Dodgers.”

Jack picks up the remote control and points it at the television, only to be whacked in the arm by Inara, who steals it before he has chance to turn on the game.

“No baseball,” she says.

Jack pouts. “But…”

“No baseball,” Carina repeats. She taps her cellphone on the palm of her hand anxiously. “This is going to be a disaster, isn’t it?”

“Everything’s going to be fine, Carina,” Andrew tries to placate her. “So Maya might be a little late, it doesn’t mean it’s a disaster. There’s plenty of food, plenty of drinks, everyone is happy, okay?”

Carina runs her hand through her hair and nods, although she doesn’t look convinced. She has been planning this party for weeks and wants so desperately for it to be a success. All she wants is a fun afternoon for Maya and their friends. After all, they deserve it after everything they have seen and done this year during the pandemic.

She retreats back into the kitchen and continues to stir the stew in the pot on the stove. Andrew shoots Vic and Andy a look that tells them to give her a minute alone.

“Why don’t we grab our gifts and put them in one place?” Travis suggests, trying to be helpful.

“Great idea,” Vic says.

It keeps them busy for about five minutes, as they collect the packages and boxes from each of the guests and put them carefully into a pile in one corner of the room.

Ben is the next to arrive, carrying a long box.

“Got the cake,” he announces as he walks through the front door. “Man, the traffic is bad out there.”

From her spot in the kitchen, Carina lets out a frustrated groan, and Ben looks confused. Travis gives him a reassuring pat on the back as he shakes his head, silently telling him not to ask.

It is at that moment that Carina’s cellphone rings. She picks it up from the counter and sees Maya’s name on the screen.

“Ssshh,” she hushes everyone in the room, waving her arm to get their attention.

She waits until the room falls quiet before she answers.

“Bella!” she says with faux enthusiasm. “Are you almost home?”

“Uh, not exactly,” Maya says.

Carina frowns. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I was on my way home but the traffic on the freeway was a nightmare, so I came off early and tried to come a different way, except I hit an emergency. Three vehicle collision.” Maya sighs.

Carina hears a cry of pain and immediately panics. “Are you okay?”

She is aware of ten pairs of eyes looking at her with concern as they try and figure out what is going on by listening to just one half of the conversation.

“I’m fine, I wasn’t in the accident,” Maya says. “That’s Jenny. She’s in labour.”

“What?”

“Yeah,” Maya says. “The paramedics turned up but they’re dealing with the critical patients and apparently a woman in labour is pretty low down the priority list, so right now it’s me and Jenny.”

Carina can hear the stress in her voice.

“Maya, you’re fine. You can do this,” Carina says reassuringly.

“What’s going on?” Andy asks.

Carina moves the phone away from her mouth. “Maya’s got a mama in labour on the side of the road.” The room turns even more concerned – except for Jack, who laughs, earning him a second punch in the arm from his girlfriend.

Carina hears another painful cry and returns to the call. “Maya, how far apart are the contractions?”

“About three minutes,” Maya says. She lowers her voice. “I don’t like this, Carina. She’s in a lot of pain, her contractions are speeding up fast, and I don’t have anything to wrap the baby up in except for a dirty gym towel I found in the trunk of my car. I can’t do this on my own.”

“It’s okay, Maya,” Carina says. “Where are you?”

She scribbles down Maya’s location on a scrap of paper.

“I know where that is, it’s only about ten minutes from here,” Travis says as he looks over her shoulder. “I can drive you.”

“I’ll come too,” Vic offers.

Carina shoots them both a grateful smile. “We’re coming to you, Maya, just hang on.”

“We?”

“Travis and Vic.” She doesn’t bother to explain. “I’ll stay on the phone with you, okay?”

Andy disappears and returns seconds later with an arm full of towels and blankets. “Here, you’re going to need these.”

“I have a decent first aid kit in my trunk, I’ll grab it for you,” Ben says.

“I’ll call it in to the hospital, let them know to expect you,” Andrew offers.

“Carina, why are there so many people at our apartment?” Maya asks.

Carina ignores her question, choosing to focus on the emergency. “Just hang on, we’re on our way.”

A few minutes later and they are piled into Travis’ car, the back seat laden with everything that might come in useful. Carina turns her cellphone onto speaker mode so that they can all hear Maya’s updates.

“How is the mama doing?”

They hear Maya conversing with Jenny. “She’s doing okay. I’ve got her on her back, she’s propped up on my gym bag.”

“That’s good. How far apart are contractions now?”

“About two minutes,” Maya answers.

“Can you check her cervix for me? How dilated is she?”

“Uh, hang on.” The line goes quiet for a moment. “I’d say eight, maybe nine centimeters.”

“That’s close,” Vic comments.

They listen as Maya comforts Jenny, offering her reassurance that she was going to meet her baby boy very soon and it was going to be the exciting start of a new part of her life.

“I need to push,” they hear Jenny say.

“Maya? If mama wants to push, let her,” Carina says.

“Okay, Jenny, time to push,” Maya says.

Travis navigates the roads carefully, keeping at the speed limit (but no more) as much as he can.

“Shit,” he mutters.

Carina’s eyes jerk up at him. “What?”

“What?” Maya’s repeats through the phone.

“Police,” Travis says.

All eyes look forward at the barricade that prevents them from going any further. Travis lowers his foot on the brake and brings the car to a stop. He lowers his window and a police officer leans down to talk to him.

“I’m sorry, sir, you can’t go any further. There’s been an accident and the roads are closed,” she says.

“I know, Ma’am, we’re trying to get to it. There’s a woman in labour and we need to get to her,” Travis explains.

“I’m sorry, sir…”

“Please,” Vic begs from the back seat. “Our friend is there and needs our help.” She gestures to the towels and blankets beside her.

A well-timed contraction comes and Jenny cries out through the phone.

“See?”

The police officer steps back. “Okay, let me see what I can do,” she says, disappearing to speak to a colleague.

“You guys, what’s going on?” Maya sounds panicked.

“Just hang in there, Maya, we’re almost there,” Travis says.

They hear Maya coach Jenny through another contraction.

“Oh no. Oh no, no, no.”

Maya’s distress echoes around the car, and the three passengers share a worried look.

“Maya? Maya, talk to me,” Carina says.

“Feet,” is all Maya says.

“What?”

“She’s crowning and… and I see feet,” Maya says.

Carina’s heart drops. Now she is worried – really worried. A breech baby isn’t good, especially by the side of the road with no medical equipment.

“Get the police officer back,” she says to Travis. “We need to get there _now_.”

Travis jumps out of the car and Carina watches as he gets into a heated discussion with the PD, his arms gesturing towards the blocked road ahead of them.

“Carina?”

“I’m here, Maya, I’m still here,” Carina says. “You need to get mama to move into a kneeling position.”

“I can’t, she’s having the baby!”

“You have to, Maya. If the baby is coming feet first, you need gravity to help you get that bambino out fast,” Carina orders.

“Okay, okay,” Maya says.

They hear her guiding Jenny onto her hands and knees.

“That’s good,” Carina says. “Now, Maya, once the baby’s legs and body are out, his arms and head might not follow so easily, which means he’s at risk of not getting enough oxygen.”

“Carina!” Maya hisses, as Jenny wails at Carina’s words.

“I know,” Carina interjects. “I know this is scary for mama, and you, but just listen to me, okay? This is important. Once the baby’s legs and body are out, you need to hold him and carefully pull him down. Now don’t pull too hard, because he might be stuck and you don’t want to hurt him.”

“I can’t do this,” Maya cries.

“Yes, you can,” Carina says. “I trust you. Just be gentle, but firm. You need to support his head as soon as it comes out, okay?”

There is silence from the other end of the phone.

“Maya?”

“I hear you. Gentle, but firm.”

The driver’s door opens and Travis slides back into his seat. “They’re letting us through.”

“You hear that, Maya? We’re almost there. Just follow my instructions and you’ll be fine. You can do this.”

They hear another contraction.

“His legs are out,” Maya says.

“One more push and his body should follow,” Carina says.

They can see Maya ahead of them, on the side of the road just beyond her car. Jenny is on her inside, and they can see Maya trying to use her body to give her a little dignity. The accident looks nasty, there are two overturned cars and one smashed van. Emergency service workers swarming around, some pushing gurneys and some carrying body bags of the unfortunate victims. None of them are paying attention to the mother giving birth, which irritates them all.

“We can see you, Maya,” Vic says. “You’re doing great, we’re almost there.”

Another contraction follows just as Travis pulls up behind Maya’s car.

“I’ve got him!” Maya says.

“Now do just what I told you,” Carina says.

Vic flings a handful of towels at her as Carina jumps out of the car and rushes to Maya’s side, arriving just as the baby’s head slides out of his mother.

“He’s not crying,” Maya notices. “Did I hurt him?”

Carina kneels down beside her and takes the baby out of Maya’s hands, wrapping him in a towel and placing him on her knees. She rubs his chest lightly and puts her finger in his mouth, scooping out a lump of mucus. He starts to cry almost immediately.

“Here he is,” Carina says with a sigh of relief. “You did great – both of you.” She shuffles forwards so that she is next to Jenny. “Here, mama, here’s your baby.”

As Jenny greets her new son, Carina looks across at Maya. “You did great,” she repeats.

Maya shakes her head in disbelief of what she has just done, her face flush. She runs the back of her hand over her forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that fall. Vic arrives with more towels and blankets, as well as the first aid kit.

“Travis has gone to track down another ambulance. Everything okay here?”

“Everything looks good,” Carina says. “Help me cut the cord and let’s get mama comfortable.”

Vic scours through the first aid kit and, thanks to Ben’s diligence, finds some clamps and a pair of scissors. After placing two clamps on the cord, she holds out the scissors to Carina, who nods towards Maya.

“You should do it,” she says.

Maya takes the scissors and cuts the cord, before helping Jenny turn over to sitting, supporting her upright as Carina places the baby into her arms.

“Do you have a name for him?” Maya asks.

“Jacob, after my father,” Jenny says.

“That’s lovely,” Maya says. She strokes his hand gently and his fingers curl around hers, bringing a smile to her face. “Welcome to the world, little man. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you so much,” Jenny says. “Both of you. But especially you, Maya. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”

Maya smiles kindly. “You’re welcome.”

Travis returns with two paramedics in tow. “These guys are going to take you to Grey-Sloan.”.

They watch as Jenny and Jacob are lifted into the back of the ambulance and wave goodbye. As the doors close, Maya turns to Carina.

“Is he really going to be okay?”

Carina can see the worry etched on her face.

“Yes, I think he’s going to be just fine,” she says. “He came out fast, he wasn’t deprived of oxygen. He was a good pink colour with a healthy set of lungs.”

Maya’s shoulders drop in exhaustion. “Good. Because that was… terrifying.”

Carina smiles. “A birthday to remember, huh?”

Maya lets out a small laugh. “Yeah.”

Carina reaches out and wraps an arm around Maya’s shoulders, pulling her close. “Let’s get you home,” she says tenderly. Maya slips her arms around Carina’s waist and rests her head on Carina’s collarbone, curling into her body and taking comfort from her embrace.

“Oh yeah, we’ve got to get back to the party!” Vic announces. She recoils when Carina glares at her.

“Oops?” She sidles away, pulling Travis with her as she goes. “We’ll see you at home!” she calls back to them.

“So I guess that explains all the people at our apartment,” Maya notes.

Carina loosens her embrace and steps back.

“I’m sorry,” she says, scrunching her face apologetically. “It was supposed to be a surprise party.”

Despite her exhaustion, Maya chuckles. “Well, you’re not very good at keeping secrets.”

Carina looks confused at first, before she realises what Maya means.

“You know about the party?”

Maya nods. “I heard you on the phone talking about it last week.”

Carina rolls her eyes. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because it was sweet idea and I didn’t want to ruin it for you,” Maya says. She lifts herself up to kiss her lips briefly, conscious of the scene behind them.

They walk over to Maya’s car.

“I’ll drive,” Carina says, taking the keys from Maya’s hand and opening the passenger door for her.

Maya smiles at the gesture and pauses before she climbs inside. “Thank you,” she says earnestly.

“For what?”

“For answering when I called. For coming to find us. I hate to think about what might have happened to that baby if you hadn’t been there to help me,” Maya says. Her eyes well up, and she shakes her head dismissively. “I’m sorry, I’m just tired.”

“It’s okay to be emotional, bella,” Carina says gently. “Breech babies are hard and scary, even for experienced doctors. What you did today was amazing and I’m proud of you.”

She tucks Maya’s hair behind her ears and cups her face with her hands, kissing her once more, lingering a little this time. She smiles when she hears Maya moan against her lips.

“We can cancel the party,” Carina says when they part. “I’ll call Andrew and get him to tell everyone to go home. We can have a quiet night in instead.”

“No, don’t do that,” Maya says. “Everyone made the effort to be there and, knowing you, there’s enough food to feed a small army.” She smirks knowingly as Carina blushes. “But tomorrow? I’m moving from our bed to the sofa, and I’m not going anywhere else. We can eat leftovers and watch crappy movies, and do as little as possible. Just us.”

Carina grins. “Deal. Happy birthday, il mio amore.”

She leans forward and drops a soft kiss on Maya’s cheek, before making her way to the driver’s side.

“Carina?”

“Hmm?”

“There’s cake, right? It’s my birthday so there should always be cake.”

“Of course.”

“Chocolate?”

“With buttercream icing, your favourite,” Carina says with a smug smile.

Maya sighs happily. “I love you.”

Carina laughs. “More than chocolate cake with buttercream icing?”

Maya feels herself getting sentimental as she smiles. “More than anything.”


End file.
